JP2007298546A - Levenson type phase shift mask - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a phase shift mask in which variance in gradients of π-0 difference curves by pitches is reduced and performances are improved in all focuses and all pitches. <P>SOLUTION: A Levenson type phase shift mask for controlling phases of transmitted light by forming an engraved portion in a substrate transparent to exposure light has a space bias portion S in a side wall of the substrate engraved portion 4, the side wall inclined at a predetermined side wall angle α with respect to the bottom to reduce a phase difference in light transmitting the entire engrave portion. The side wall angle is established by transfer simulation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a Levenson-type phase shift mask, and more particularly, to a Levenson-type phase shift mask with little variation due to the pitch of the slope of a π-0 difference curve even during defocusing.

  In recent years, with the miniaturization of semiconductor elements, high resolution is also required for projection exposure apparatuses. Therefore, in the field of photomasks, a phase shift method was proposed in 1982 by Levenson et al. Of IBM Corporation as a method for improving the resolution of a transfer pattern. The principle of the phase shift method is to provide a light intensity at the boundary when the transmitted light interferes with each other by providing a phase shift part on one of the openings so that the phase of the transmitted light passing through the adjacent openings is reversed. As a result, the resolution and depth of focus of the transfer pattern are improved.

  A photomask whose resolution is improved by such a phase shift method is generally called a Levenson type phase shift mask. As a method of providing a phase shift part in one of the openings, a digging type in which a quartz substrate is dug by etching or the like to provide a shifter part is currently the mainstream (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of a digging-type Levenson-type phase shift mask. In FIG. 7, a light shielding film 12 made of Cr is formed on the surface of the quartz substrate 11, and the light shielding film 12 is provided with a first opening 13 and a second opening 14. The quartz substrate 11 is dug through the second opening 14 of the light shielding film 12, and a shifter portion (π portion) having a phase difference of 180 degrees is formed. The first opening 13 constitutes a non-shifter part (0 part) having a phase difference of 0 degree. These shifter portions (π portion) and non-shifter portions (0 portion) are alternately formed, and the phase of transmitted light passing through them is alternately inverted.

  In the digging type Levenson phase shift mask shown in FIG. 7, the exposure intensity of the shifter part and the non-shifter part is unbalanced (π-0 difference) due to scattering of transmitted light on the side wall of the digged π phase part. ) Will occur. FIG. 8 is a characteristic diagram showing a change in exposure intensity depending on the position, and shows that a π-0 difference (π space size−0 space size) occurs.

  In order to prevent this π-0 difference, a space bias S is provided in the π phase portion as shown in FIG. Note that the pitch p is a distance to the opening end face of the second opening 14 adjacent to the opening end face of the first opening 13 (when the space bias S is not provided).

  The π-0 difference at the time of just focus can be corrected by providing the space bias S as described above. However, at the time of defocus caused by unevenness of the resist film thickness or unevenness of the underlying layer, a π-0 difference curve for each pitch. Because of the difference in inclination, correction cannot be made by providing a space bias. FIG. 9 shows that the slope of the π-0 difference curve indicating the relationship between the defocus amount and the π-0 difference when the space bias amount is 80 nm changes with the pitch.

  Since the slope of the π-0 difference curve can be controlled by changing the phase difference (quartz substrate digging amount) as shown in FIG. 10, the entire pitch can be changed by changing the phase difference as shown in FIG. It is conceivable to reduce the slope of the π-0 difference curve through

However, the variation of the slope of the π-0 difference curve for each pitch is not lost. This problem can be solved if the amount of digging of the quartz substrate is changed for each pitch, that is, the phase difference of a narrow pitch can be made smaller, but the quartz substrate is dug by etching all at once using one mask. This is difficult with current processes.
JP 11-30849 A

  The present invention has been made under the circumstances as described above, and provides a Levenson-type phase shift mask that reduces variations in the pitch of the π-0 difference curve for each pitch and improves performance at all pitches even during defocusing. The purpose is to do.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a digging portion in a substrate transparent to exposure light, and in a Levenson type phase shift mask in which the phase of transmitted light is controlled, the side wall of the substrate digging portion is A Levenson-type phase shift mask is provided, which is inclined at a predetermined side wall angle with respect to a bottom surface, and the side wall angle is set by a transfer simulation.

  In the Levenson-type phase shift mask, the side wall of the substrate digging portion can have a forward tapered shape. Further, it is desirable to provide a space bias in the substrate digging portion corresponding to the side wall angle.

   In addition, the substrate digging portion having the side wall corner has an etching condition set by adjusting at least one selected from the group consisting of ICP power, RIE power, vacuum degree, and gas flow rate of dry etching. It can be formed by dry etching.

  According to the present invention, since the side wall of the substrate digging portion is inclined at a predetermined side wall angle with respect to the bottom surface, the phase difference of transmitted light can be changed for each pitch without changing the digging amount of the substrate. As a result, it is possible to reduce the variation of the slope of the π-0 difference curve for each pitch. Further, since the transfer simulation is used, the optimum side wall angle can be easily set.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a Levenson mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a light shielding film 2 made of Cr is formed on the surface of a quartz substrate 1, and the light shielding film 2 is provided with a first opening 3 and a second opening 4. The quartz substrate 1 is dug through the second opening 4 of the light shielding film 2 to form a shifter portion (π portion) having a phase difference of 180 degrees. The first opening 3 constitutes a non-shifter part (0 part) having a phase difference of 0 degree. These shifter portions (π portion) and non-shifter portions (0 portion) are alternately formed, and the phase of transmitted light passing through them is alternately inverted.

  In addition, a space bias S is provided in the shifter part (π part) to prevent an unbalance (π-0 difference) between the exposure intensities of the shifter part (π part) and the non-shifter part (0 part). It has been.

As shown in FIG. 1, the side wall of the shifter portion (π portion) dug through the second opening 4 is inclined in a forward taper shape at a predetermined side wall angle α.

  In this way, the side wall of the shifter part (π part) is inclined in a forward tapered shape, so that the side wall projects from the end of the opening part toward the center of the digging part. The overall phase difference is smaller than in the case of vertical sidewalls. In particular, at a narrow pitch, the size of the opening is reduced, so that the contribution of the side wall portion to the entire opening is increased, and the phase difference is further reduced. That is, the phase difference of transmitted light can be changed for each pitch without changing the digging amount. As a result, it is possible to reduce the variation of the slope of the π-0 difference curve for each pitch.

  FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing this. That is, when the side wall angle is 82 degrees, the phase difference is 180 degrees, and the space bias amount is 102 nm, it can be seen that the π-0 difference does not vary at a pitch of 160 to 350 nm even in the case of defocusing.

  However, if the side wall protrudes, the exposure intensity at the π portion decreases, so it is necessary to provide a larger space bias than that of the vertical side wall. Further, the optimum side wall angle and the optimum space bias amount vary depending on the exposure conditions and the target pattern of the photomask.

  In the present invention, the optimum sidewall angle and space bias amount are obtained by using transfer simulation.

  The procedure for obtaining the optimum sidewall angle and space bias amount by transfer simulation is as follows.

    First, by using a transfer simulation onto a wafer, the space bias amount is changed for each side wall angle, and a π-0 difference at just focus is obtained. This is performed for each pitch, and a pitch average of π-0 differences at just focus is obtained. The result is shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 3, the pitch average of the π-0 difference in the just focus is 15-20 nm, 10-15 nm, 5-10 nm, 0-5 nm, −5-0 nm, −10-5 nm in order from the upper right to the lower left. , -15 to -10 nm, and -20 to -15 nm.

  Among these regions, the region where the pitch average of the π-0 difference is 0 is the optimum space bias amount at each sidewall angle, as shown in FIG.

  Next, a phase error of a structure having a certain sidewall angle and an optimum amount of space bias at the sidewall angle is derived using a transfer simulation. The phase error is represented by the following equation, which corresponds to the slope of the π-0 difference curve.

δφ = 2 sinc (R / 2) Re (A ₀ / A ₁ )
In the formula, sinc (X) = sin (πX) / πX, R: space / pitch, A ₀ : TE0th order diffraction, A ₁ : TE first order diffraction The results of obtaining the phase error at each pitch are shown in FIG. The side wall angle at which the phase error pitch average becomes the smallest is the optimum side wall angle, and it can be seen from FIG. 5 that the optimum side wall angle is 82 degrees.

  Note that the optimum side wall angle can be obtained not by obtaining the phase error as described above but also by obtaining the slope of the π-0 curve by the following equation.

Inclination of π-0 curve = [(π-0) (defocus = 100 nm) − (π-0) (defocus = −100 nm)] / 200
In order to form the digging having the side wall of the optimum side wall angle obtained as described above, dry etching conditions such as ICP power, RIE power, degree of vacuum, and gas flow rate of the dry etching apparatus may be appropriately adjusted. Such dry etching conditions can be easily obtained by experiments.

  Hereinafter, a manufacturing process of a Levenson type phase shift mask according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

6A to 6G are cross-sectional views showing a process of manufacturing the Levenson-type phase shift mask shown in FIG. 1 in the order of steps.
First, a Cr film 22 having a thickness of 70 nm was formed on the quartz substrate 21 by sputtering using Cr as a target, thereby producing a mask blank. The sputtering conditions are as follows.

Sputtering gas: Ar with a flow rate of 30 sccm
Pressure: 0.25Pa
Discharge power: 300W
Next, as shown in FIG. 6A, a positive resist 23 having a film thickness of 200 nm is applied to the manufactured mask blank, and then drawn and developed. As shown in FIG. 1 resist pattern 24 was formed. At this time, a space bias of 102 nm obtained by the method described above was provided in a portion corresponding to the π portion of the Levenson mask.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, the Cr film 22 was dry-etched using the first resist pattern 24 as a mask, using a mixed gas of Cl ₂ and O ₂ as a chlorine-based gas.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6D, the first resist pattern 24 was peeled off.

  Next, a 400-nm-thick positive resist was applied, drawn and developed, and a second resist pattern 25 was formed as shown in FIG. At this time, only the π portion is drawn.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6F, the quartz substrate 21 in the π portion was dry-etched using the mixed gas of CF ₄ and O ₂ as the fluorine-based gas and using the second resist pattern 25 as a mask.

  The etching at this time was performed such that the phase difference between the transmitted light of the 0 part and the π part is reversed. Further, the optimum side wall angle was set to 82 degrees by appropriately adjusting the ICP power, RIE power, vacuum degree, and gas flow rate of the dry etching apparatus.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 6G, the second resist pattern 25 was peeled off to complete a Levenson type phase shift mask.

  The present invention can be widely applied as an exposure mask used for manufacturing semiconductor elements such as LSI.

Sectional drawing which shows the Levenson type | mold phase shift mask which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The characteristic view which shows the pi-0 difference with respect to a defocus amount. The characteristic view which changed the space bias amount for every side wall angle, and calculated | required (pi) -0 difference in just focus. The characteristic view which shows the optimal space bias amount with respect to a side wall angle. The characteristic view which shows the phase error in each pitch. Sectional drawing which shows the manufacturing process of the Levenson type | mold phase shift mask which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the conventional digging type | mold Levenson type | mold phase shift mask. The characteristic view which shows the exposure intensity | strength of the Levenson type | mold phase shift mask shown in FIG. The characteristic view which shows the relationship between the defocus amount for every pitch, and (pi) -0 difference. The characteristic view which shows the change of the inclination of the (pi) -0 difference curve by a phase difference. The characteristic view which shows the relationship between the defocus amount for every pitch, and (pi) -0 difference at the time of changing a phase difference.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 11, 21 ... Transparent substrate, 2, 12, 22 ... Cr film, 3, 13 ... First opening, 4, 14 ... Second opening, 23 ... Resist film, 24 ... First resist pattern 25 Second resist pattern.

Claims (4)

  In a Levenson-type phase shift mask in which a digging portion is provided in a substrate transparent to exposure light and the phase of transmitted light is controlled, the side wall of the substrate digging portion is inclined at a predetermined side wall angle with respect to the bottom surface, The Levenson type phase shift mask, wherein the side wall angle is set by transfer simulation.   The Levenson-type phase shift mask according to claim 1, wherein a side wall of the substrate digging portion has a forward taper shape.   The Levenson type phase shift mask according to claim 1, wherein a space bias is provided in the substrate digging portion corresponding to the side wall angle.    The substrate digging portion having a sidewall having the sidewall angle is formed under the etching conditions set by adjusting at least one selected from the group consisting of ICP power, RIE power, vacuum degree, and gas flow rate of dry etching. The Levenson type phase shift mask according to claim 1, wherein the Levenson type phase shift mask is formed by etching.

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